“Even a dragon’s breath won’t penetrate this special barrier!”
That’s what the Creator God, Kesaran Pasaran, proudly declared. Knowing that the final boss was not the Demon King but an evil dragon, it was clear that dragons existed in this world.
(But I never imagined I’d end up facing the mightiest of beasts—a dragon.)
The dragon before me had shimmering golden scales. Under the sunlight, each individual scale glistened magnificently. It reminded me of the prized golden koi my grandfather used to keep.
That said, this was a five-meter-long dragon. If it unfurled its currently folded wings, its span would exceed ten meters. The wings, leathery and robust, resembled those of a bat, though they weren’t its forelimbs—this dragon was quadrupedal. Its sharp claws and thick, powerful tail looked capable of crushing anything with a single swipe.
“Shaaa!”
Ketsue, my cat, puffed up his tail and bristled his fur as he tried to intimidate the massive dragon. His fur stood on end, and his pupils were fully dilated. While his stance was fierce, the fact that he was perched on my shoulder, half-hiding, undermined his intimidation attempt.
The golden dragon didn’t even spare a glance at the small cat. Instead, it fixed its gaze on me, who stood frozen on the roof of my container house.
(…It doesn’t seem like it intends to attack?)
The dragon observed me curiously, as if inspecting an oddity it had stumbled upon. In its amethyst-like, crystal-clear eyes, there was a distinct glimmer of intelligence. It seemed to recognize the existence of the barrier, making no attempt to approach forcibly.
Realizing it wasn’t planning to attack, I began to cautiously return the dragon’s gaze.
(I should avoid direct eye contact. I heard wild beasts get provoked by that…)
In Japan, dragons were often depicted in all sorts of artistic styles. There were Western-style dragons and Eastern-style ones, heavily influenced by Chinese mythology, with snake-like bodies. However, the dragon before me was the quintessential Western dragon—a creature straight out of a fantasy film.
Its features were both regal and endearing. Unlike the menacing crocodile-like face some dragons had, this one had wide, striking eyes reminiscent of a bearded dragon’s gentle gaze. Its scales flared outward around its head like a mane or horns, giving it a distinctive look.
The dragon’s mouth remained closed, but I had no doubt that sharp fangs lay hidden within.
“Nyaa?”
Ketsue, who had been hissing moments earlier, tilted his head curiously at the dragon, which was now sitting quietly and simply observing us.
“What is that thing?”
Even if Ketsue had asked, I wouldn’t have an answer. Still, it was a relief that he stopped hissing, as the dragon didn’t appear hostile. I gently smoothed Ketsue’s bristled fur, whispering reassurances to calm him down.
However, this silent staring contest was starting to feel awkward. Taking a deep breath, I summoned the courage to address the dragon.
“Do you… need something from us?”
The fact that my voice didn’t tremble at the end deserved praise. Even behind the strongest barrier, fear is fear.
The golden dragon slowly blinked in response to my question. (Dragons have eyelids, huh?) A random thought crossed my mind—probably as a way to distract myself from the situation.
The dragon tilted its golden-scaled neck slightly.
“Not particularly. I was simply curious about this thing.”
A deep, resonant voice echoed directly in my mind. It took me a moment to realize it was telepathy. Kesaran Pasaran had used something similar, so I recognized it quickly.
(It can speak!)
Relief washed over me. In this strange world, the inability to communicate is terrifying. Language is essential for understanding each other, for proving there’s no malice or ill intent. Even if negotiations fail, it’s far better to at least have the option to communicate than to remain completely misunderstood.
“If you mean ‘this thing,’ are you talking about the barrier? Or this building?”
“Both. I see… so that’s a barrier. I sensed the presence of the Creator God, so I descended to investigate.”
“Oh. Yeah, the Creator God… uh, gave me their blessing? They set up this barrier to protect me from magical beasts and monsters.”
“I see. But you’re a High Elf, aren’t you? How did you come to receive the Creator God’s blessing?”
The dragon’s deep, smooth voice carried a tone of intense curiosity.
At least it didn’t seem hostile for now, which was reassuring.
“Well, uh… where should I even start?”
I scratched my head, unsure how much I should explain. Kesaran Pasaran hadn’t forbidden me from talking about my situation, but it would be a long story. Besides, the final boss that my cousin heroes were supposed to defeat was an evil dragon. If this golden dragon was of the same species, it might be on their side.
As I hesitated, the dragon let out a contemplative hum, as if drawing its own conclusions.
“No need to worry, guest from another world. I am the divine beast created by the Creator God—the Golden Dragon. I will not harm you. Observe.”
Its voice was gentle yet commanding as it extended one of its front claws.
The sharp talons passed through the barrier with ease.
“If I were a mindless beast, the barrier would have repelled me. Rest assured.”
“Seriously…?”
I felt like groaning at the apparent failure of the barrier but realized that if it was a divine beast—a servant of the Creator God—it made sense.
(The barrier even has a camouflage effect for magical creatures, yet this dragon saw it from the start. Can I trust it?)
“…Alright. I’ll trust you. I’ll explain, but could you wait a moment? You’re a bit far away—let me come down.”
I was standing on the roof of my two-story container house, where I had been enjoying a barbecue before the dragon arrived. The dragon was sitting outside the barrier, quite a distance away. Ketsue was still nervous, so I wanted to get him inside as well.
“No need. I will come to you. I’m also curious about this unfamiliar structure.”
“Huh? Wait, no! Your massive body will crush my house…!”
The dragon unfurled its gigantic wings, and I panicked, imagining the worst-case scenario of my hard-earned house being flattened.
“Ah, you’re right. In that case, I’ll take on a human form.”
Hearing my desperate plea, the dragon nodded thoughtfully.
Before I could even question what it meant by “human form,” the dragon’s body was enveloped in a soft, golden glow.
When the light faded, the dragon was gone. In its place stood a tall, golden-haired young man.
◆◇◆
“This is delicious. I always thought fresh raw meat was the best delicacy, but grilled meat is this exquisite?”
“Ah… Well, properly prepared raw meat dishes are tasty too, but I’m guessing Japanese BBQ sauce suits your palate.”
The rooftop BBQ on the container house was now continuing with one unexpected participant added to the mix.
The one cheerfully showing off his hearty appetite was the dragon who had introduced himself as the Golden Dragon.
In his human form, he was so stunningly handsome that even I, a guy, found myself captivated. His waist-length hair, which had likely transformed from his golden scales, was an impressive shade of gold.
His amethyst-colored eyes were as crystal-clear and mesmerizing as they had been when he was in dragon form.
His facial features were breathtakingly beautiful: sharply defined with a high nose bridge. His eyelashes, matching the color of his hair, were so long that I had the absurd urge to see how many matches I could balance on them.
The well-shaped lips, now enthusiastically chewing on skewered meat, occasionally revealed sharp fangs at the corners as he took bites of the meat.
The divine beauty of his face was humorously offset by the BBQ sauce smeared all over his mouth.
“Uh… Your mouth’s a mess.”
When I gently wiped his mouth with a damp towel, he narrowed his eyes and murmured, “My thanks.”
(A dragon, and yet he’s this good-looking? That’s just unfair…)
After explaining the circumstances of how I ended up reincarnated in this world, the dragon seemed to understand.
He then moved on to interrogate me about the container house, before finally pointing at the BBQ set and asking, “What is that?”
By that point, I was exhausted from answering the dragon’s endless questions, so I just handed him a skewer of grilled meat, saying, “Just eat it.”
(I never thought he’d enjoy human food so much…)
Although he seemed accustomed to eating magical beast meat, the BBQ flavoring at my place was prepared using Japanese seasonings.
Judging from how my cousins had described the food in this world, I hadn’t expected much, but apparently, even dragons found “Earth food” incredibly delicious.
Not only did he devour the skewered meat, but he also polished off yakisoba, grilled rice balls, and even dessert, leaving not a crumb behind.
